Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell the World Cup to private investors has provoked widespread condemnation, but there is irony in UEFA and others taking the high moral ground. UEFA, the Premier League, and the Football Association have been trailblazers in selling out to commercial bidders. The European Cup once was a single-tie knockout competition, but UEFA sold its name to Russian oil companies like Gazprom and turned it into a corporate mess with a phoney anthem.
UEFA's own commercial record
UEFA executives have loved VIP gigs and freebies as much as FIFA executives. Under Aleksander Ceferin, the Champions League has become a commercial monstrosity. Infantino is a power-obsessed egotist who needs dethroning, but he is following a template set by those in Europe who rinse football followers for everything.
Premier League and FA under fire
The Premier League has had a spectacular disregard for the traditional match-going fan. The game has been sold to television. Andy Burnham, the professional Evertonian, posted on social media: "Football does not belong to investors." But he wants the Glazers and Sir Jim Ratcliffe to benefit from a new 100,000-seater stadium facilitated by government. Burnham also said: "Dress the deal up however you like. Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out." The World Cup was already sold out when it went to Russia and Qatar, and English football has sold out lock, stock and barrel, as seen with the FA Cup. The FA recently presented Infantino with an England shirt with his name on the back.
Infantino's plan and response
Infantino's ruse is reprehensible yet predictable. He has been praised by Donald Trump for the commercial success of World Cup 2026. The backlash should be sufficient to get rid of him, but it is doubtful. The proposal demands vehement opposition. However, UEFA and European football bigwigs should look at themselves first, as they have paved the way for FIFA's greed.
